Filming has begun on the set of ‘The Royals’

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire – One of the filming locations of ‘The Royals’

The filming for a new US television series called ‘The Royals’ has officially begun. The series will be broadcasted on the E! network, with the likes of Elizabeth Hurley (Austin Powers, Gossip Girl), Tom Austen (The Borgias) and William Moseley (The Chronicles of Narnia) playing the leading roles.

The series is loosely based on one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy plays, ‘Hamlet’, and is set around a corrupt fictional family of the British aristocracy. The series is set to capture the American viewers who have recently become such fans of royal-related programmes, especially after the success of Downton Abbey overseas.

‘The Royals’ will be centred around Elizabeth Hurley’s character, the power-hungry Queen Helena. William Moseley plays Prince Liam, who is the younger brother of the heir to the throne, Prince Robert. Prince Robert is the favourite out of Queen Helena’s children, but when he is killed in a military accident, the spotlight is thrown upon Prince Liam as the next heir. Liam has lived in Robert’s shadow all of his life, and resents that his mother does not believe he can be a successful king. Hurley’s character openly disapproves of Prince Liam’s American girlfriend, Ophelia, and looks to ways of eradicating her, whilst also struggling to keep a stable relationship with her husband, King Simon.

The writers and executive producers of the series include One Tree Hill’s Mark Schwahn, Joe Davola and Brian Robbins, whilst the locations of the filming include the home of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace.

The pilot episode, which was being filmed yesterday at Blenheim Palace, will include scenes of a royal funeral procession. (We can assume this is Prince Robert’s memorial service.) The showing date of the pilot episode is to be confirmed.